Electric heating device.



A. F. BERRY. ELECTRIC HEATING DEVICE. APPLncATlon man nov. 2a. 1 916.

1 ,267,173. Patented May 2l, 1918.

2 SHEESSHEET l.

lrwewbov` Arthurf' F`. Berry A. F. BERRY.

ELECTRIC HEATING DEVICE.

APPLlc/Tmn man nov. 2s, me.

Patented May 2l, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ffig,

His Attorneg.

ARTHUR FRANCIS BERRY, 0F EAIJNG, ENGLAND,

COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC HEATING DEVICE.

To ali whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR FRANCIS Bauer, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Ealing, county of liiddle sex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Heating Devices, of whichthe following is a specilication.

My invention relates to an electric heating device and has for its object the iinproi ement of a device of this character.

In application, Serial No. 66,453, which was liled in the U. S. Patent `Oihce on December 13, 1915, I have disclosed an electric lieatii'ig device in which the heat is produced by a current in a bare resistance wire, carried by an insulating support, the resistance wire being made of suoli dimensions and so mounted and arranged that when an electric current is passed therethrough to render it luminous, not only will it produce luminous and heat-radiating effects but it will, by reason of the varying coo ing eect of the ascending air currents acting upon it and the varying refrangibility of the air, also produce an efl'ect simulating the effect produced by the combustion of fuel. In my prior application, I have shown the resistance wire or ribbon arranged to form an upwardly ascending grid-like structure, and to form with the backing on which it is mounted a passage for the air so that when the resistance element is heated, the air is caused to ascend through the passage and impinge more or less against the resistance element.

y present invention has for its object the provision of means whereb the simulating effect of combustion may he varied and controlled so as to enhance such effect, and particularly to produce au cH'ect resembling a red flame.

Other objects of my invention will appeal' from the specification and will be more particularly pointed ont in the claims.

My invention will best be understood by,y reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows in front elevation ,a construction of heating apparatus embody ing a number of electric heat radiators sinilar to those described in my prior application, but showing the application thereto of one feature of my present invention;y Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1918.

Application tiled November 28, 1816. Serial No. 133,879.

. 3 but showe resistance a vertical section similar to Fi ing the shields inclined to t grid; Fig. 5 is a similar view one or more inclined air ducts for directing' air against the resistance grid; Fig, 6 is i. 'similar view but illustrating a number ot baffles secured to the backing for directingl the air against the resistance unit.

ferring now to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, each radiator comprises a resistance wire or ribbon 10, wound back and forth between the notched forward edges 11 of two vertical strips 12 of insulating une ferial, suoli as thin sheet mica, so as to torni a light vertical opeirworlt grid, the strips l2 being secured to the opposite edge portions of a vertical backing 13 of concave shape in horizontal section, the space 14 formed be but showing Assmann 'ro GENERAL ELECTRIC tween the resistance grid and the backing serving as a vertical air can flow 1n contact with the rear side of the grid the front side thereof. The ends of the resistance strip l0 may be connected to in-` sulated terminals 15 carried by the backing 13. All of the structures disclosed up to this shown in Fig. 1, refractory material 16 as for example, sheet mica or quartz 4so as to shield or protect a part or parts of the rear portion of the grid to a greater or less extent from the air, and also perhaps to defleet the air or some of it from the said parts of the grid, and in this way vary the cool ing action thereon of the air flowing up wardly in proximity thereto. By this means the ncandescence of the resistance grid at various parts thereof can be varied and thus alsothe amount of heat radiated from the various parts thereof.

It will be apparent that the shield or de- Hector 16 may assume various forms and he variously arranged with reference to llie re sistance grid. For example, I have in Fig.

passage through which at the same time that air flows over so;- point is described in my prior application 3 shown the screen parallel to the back of the resistance grid and in Fig. 4 I have shown the grid 16 inclined thereto. r It will be apparent that the shield may be flat as shown in the figures, or that it may assume a. curved shape, or in fact any desired form.

By arran ing behind and near to and parallel Wit the resistance grid 10, as shown in Fig. 1, an air shield 16 consisting of a thin 4strip of sheet mica of less Width and height than the Width and height of theV grid, and having its upper edge of wedge or ogival shape, an effect can be produced resembling a red iarue that is o greater height than the air shield and extends upwardly above the same, while at the sides of the grid a varying dullness is produced more or less resembling the production of smoke or smoky flame. Ovvin to the varyin movements of the air an its varying relrangibility, the liame effect is constantly changing in osition, extent and depth, thereby enhancing the simulating eifect of combustion. When two or more electric heat radiators of the kind referred to are arvranged side by side, as in Fig. 1, the air shields 16 may be differently arran ed in the different radiators to produce di ere'nt effects therein.

Instead of using an air shield or shields such as described, or in addition thereto, means may be provided for causing air to im )inge upon part or parts of the grid in diilerent ways to produce different effects. Thus, the backing may, as shown in Fig. 5, be rovided with one or more air ducts 17, inclined or otherwise, through which air can How toward the grid. 0r, as shown in Fig. the backing may be provided With projecting bafes 18, or otherwise be adapted to deflect air currents against the diilerent parts of the grid.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation o1' my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried. out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. An electric heating device comprising a grid-like structure having an exposed resistance unit,means for directing air against said unit, and means for varying or controlling the flow of air against diil'erent parts of said resistance element whereby the simulating effect of combustion may be varied or controlled.

2. An electric heating device comprising a grid-like structure having an exposed resistance unit which forms with the support an air passage, and means associated there with for varying 0r controlling the flow of air against different parts of said resistance element whereby -the simulating eifect of combustion may be varied or controlled.

3. An electric heating device comprising a grid-like structure having an exposed resistance unit and forming an air passage adjacent the resistance unit, and means com prising a shield or shields of refractory insulating material for protecting parts of said resistance element from the effect of the air.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of November, 1916.

ARTHUR FRANCIS BERRY. 

